Parathyroid Adenoma / Hyperplasia

An adenoma is a benign tumor that may develop on one or more of the parathyroid glands and may lead to an overactive parathyroid also called hyperparathyroidism, causing the gland to enlarge and produce excess amounts of parathyroid hormone. Hyperplasia is the enlargement of all four parathyroid glands.

Both of these conditions can lead to a variety of medical issues including abdominal pain, kidney stones, nausea, vomiting, increased thirst and urination, bone fractures, constipation and muscle pain.

Treatment for these conditions usually involves surgical removal of the affected parathyroid gland, called parathyroidectomy. Patients may need to take medication after surgery in order to maintain normal levels of parathyroid hormone within the body.

Parathyroid Adenoma Treatment

Excision of Parathyroid Tumors

Cancer of the parathyroid glands is extremely rare. Nearly all cases of hyperparathyroidism stem from benign tumors called parathyroid adenoma. When a parathyroid gland becomes tumorous, it excretes too much of its hormone.

There are no treatment options except to remove the affected gland, and since there are three other parathyroids in the body, the adenoma may be removed and the hyperparathyroidism condition is stopped. The parathyroid glands are deep in the neck, so while the surgery to remove the affected gland is relatively straightforward, it is quite invasive in its traditional form. Minimally-invasive radioguided parathyroid surgery, or MIRP, reduces the removal of an adenoma from inpatient to outpatient procedure.